


Runaway

by YoungSoon



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Industrial Revolution, Blow Jobs, Developing Relationship, Drinking, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Mentions of Injuries, Riding, Slow Romance, Smoking, Smut, mention of prostitution
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:28:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28566204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YoungSoon/pseuds/YoungSoon
Summary: At the time when everything is changing - houses grow taller, smoke from the chimneys gets darker, fog thicker than ever before settles on the cities, and people get busier just with the idea of surviving - some things remain the same. The need for adventures, the longing for understanding, the greed for money, and the search for love. What bringsthemtogether is a mix of everything, but which one will glue them together forever?
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56





	Runaway

**Author's Note:**

> **NOTE:** In this story Eren is 19, Levi is 30, Farlan and Isabel - 26.
> 
>  **Do be nice** I'm actually writing in this 'chopped' style for the first time, no to let this idea go to waste. I hope it comes out nice.

The train's loud whistle fills the air with its ear-piercing sound, vibrating through each of the passengers aboard and the ones standing on the platform. A thick cloud of smoke rolls out of the main chimney, falling over the locomotive's front, covering the royal crest on it. The doors are closed, and slowly, picking up speed gradually, the train begins to move from the station, huffing and puffing.

The back door of the very last cart opens, and a man steps out on the small area surrounded by metal bars. Leaving one place and heading to the next doesn't mean much to him. He has done it plenty of times already. He has learned the hard way that getting attached to places, to people, to feelings didn't lead to anything good. What other's called affection he called a burden, or so he has told himself, stubbornly holding onto this notion. A breeze from the drafty station rushes through the two perfectly laid arches of pitch-black hair falling over his forehead and grabs hold of the black jacket that's holding onto his shoulders. He will miss the breeze of a sea-side town; he can admit this much.

"Wait! Wait!" A desperate yell coming from the slowly departing platform catches his attention. A young man leaps off the platform's edge, ignoring those trying to stop him, and begins sprinting after the train. His longer hair keeps falling out of his ponytail, full-looking backpack probably slowing him down, longer beige cardigan not being the most aerodynamic outfit choice, but regardless, he is determined to catch up with the train that is gaining speed, the steam from the burning charcoal rushing through the mechanics and turning them faster and faster. 

"Wait!" the young man yells out again. "Don't leave me here!" he screams almost too desperately for it to be human, like a caged animal with a glimpse of freedom before him. He moves so fast he is somehow not tripping over the rail tracks, his desperation giving him wings that could take him to freedom. There is something so painfully familiar in his despair, his immense longing to get away that the man on the train can't just let him be.

He unhooks the chain that connects two sides of the metal railing where it would connect to another cart let people walk between the two. He stands nearly at the very edge, the front of his boots resting against the railing for support. He thinks for a second before choosing his right hand to grab onto the railing, reaching his left one out. "Come one! Faster!" he commands the man running, and there is a whole new spark lit in the seafoam green eyes. The man picks up more speed, yet so does the train, and it's a desperate leap of faith as he grabs on to the outreached hand.

The man on the train winces, doing his best to help the man onto the train. Right, his grip strength isn't like it used to be for either of his hands. He always manages to forget, the black gloves he's wearing fooling even him. But he is not going to let the man fall on the tracks. The man himself is trying his best, his free hand grabbing on to the rails, but his legs seemingly not finding any support, the backpack definitely weighing him down. Any regular runaway would drop it just to get away, but he isn't even thinking of it. Even if his grip is not the best, the man on the train still has plenty of strength - the world would knock him over if he wouldn't have it. With a low grunt, he kicks back from the rails, falling on his back, but managing to pull the man over the edge right as the train speeds up even more. The momentum no only throws him back but also lands the other man directly on top of him.

There is a short moment of silence, both of them trying to catch their breaths as the sky appears of them, the roof of the train station ending until the long-haired man begins to laugh. His head with the messy brown ponytail is directly on the man's chest, his laughter vibrating through him, and it is the oddest feeling. The faintest scent of a flowery, perhaps of jasmine, radiates from him. "Oi, you can get off me," the raven-haired man points out, finding very little fun with the situation. It makes the other man move, still giggling, pushing up from the metal surface with his hands, looking down at the man who has pulled him on the train. Long strands of hair are framing his face, large and excited bluish-green eyes looking down. He is breathtaking, even more so as he smiles.

"Thank you," he smiles a bright, innocent smile, and the pure expression on his face is almost heartbreaking. "It would have sucked if I'd missed this train," he continues as the train rolls out of the station area completely, rolling through the outskirts of the town towards its next destination. 

"You are still on top of me," the other grumbles, and with a flustered 'sorry,' the man jumps to his feet, almost losing his balance and tumbling off the train again, yet catching himself on the rails. He lets out a small laugh and reaches his hand out to help his savior up. As the dark-haired man gets on his feet, he notes other is at least a head taller, with lean built, hidden by the long cardigan, backpack straps holding onto broad shoulders. His features look young, and there is this excitement in his face the man hasn't seen for a while, his eyes sparkling like the depth of the ocean, which shore they are now leaving. How beautiful could one man be?

"I'm Eren Yeager. Thank you once more for helping me!" he announces loudly, and it's almost embarrassing if they wouldn't be outside the train.

"You're welcome," the dark-haired man grumbles as he takes the jacket off his shoulders and dusts it off. He is about to turn and walk inside when Eren stops him.

"And your name?" he inquires, and the shorter man shoots a glance back at him before letting out a long sigh. He has to say it, right?

"Levi," he replies and heads into the salon of the last cart. He ignores Eren's question of 'just Levi' as the young man following him and proceeds to his seat.

The train's interior is rather simple - wood panels covering the walls, simple short deep red curtains in pairs next to the double-pane windows split horizontally in the middle. The seats were set in groups of four - two pairs facing each other - covered in deep gray fabric of a sort, shelves for luggage above them. It isn't one of the high-class trains between large cities but a more common one, heading straight to the capital. Most of the seats were taken by trios of either friends or families, only one set taken by a couple, from what could be assumed by their quiet and friendly chat.

"Levi! What took you so long!" the couple turns their heads to the man as he approaches. The one who speaks is a young-looking man with messy brown hair, a chunk of it falling over his forehead, his true eyes grey and wide. Next to him, the young woman has her hair to her shoulders in a deep maroon shade, her eyes pure green and sharing the same wide and bright expression as the man.

"I was fishing, apparently," Levi sighs and sits down on the outer edge of the free double seat. He crosses his arms and throws his right leg over the left one - ankle resting on the knee, closing his eyes.

"Oh, so you're the catch!" the man looks up at Eren, who has stopped next to their seats, very obviously unsure of what to do or where to go next.

"Ah... yes," Eren nervously scratches the back of his neck and smiles. "I have the ticket and all, but I just got here a bit too late," he tries to explain, which makes the man laugh.

"Sounds like a fun story! Is there someone waiting for you on the train?" he asks, and as Eren shakes his head, he continues. "Sit with us! Don't mind the grumpy fisherman here. That's just his face," he laughs again, and Eren glances at Levi, who has opened his eye and stares very sternly at the speaker.

"I don't want to be any more of a bother," he admits, being well aware his arrival on the train has been quite dramatic, and the woman speaks up this time.

"Don't be silly! Sit down!" she insists, and it seems more like a decision made for Eren rather than an invitation now. He murmurs a 'thank you' before taking his backpack off and stuffing it on the shelf above the seats. He murmurs as quiet 'sorry' as he squeezes past Levi and sits down in the empty seat next to the window.

"I'm Isabel, and this is Farlan," the woman introduces them, gesturing to all of them in order. "And the mister sunshine here is Levi, but I guess that you have already found out."

"Nice to meet you! I'm Eren," he bows his head a little, the strands of hair finally catching his attention. "Sorry," he mumbles and undoes his hair tie. "I did quite a bit of running," he admits and rakes his long fingers through his hair, collecting most of it back, just some shorter strands remaining out and still framing his face. "I couldn't let this train leave without me," he continues as he reties his hair in a bit less messy fashion.

"How so? You could have exchanged your ticket," Isabel has turned more towards Eren, absolutely ready to continue the conversation. Farlan looks intrigued, while Levi, on the other hand, seems uninterested. His eyes are closed, head hanging low, and one could think he is sleeping, but it also quite obvious he isn't.

"If I didn't leave today, I think I would have changed my mind and never left this town," Eren admits, and his eyes turn to the town moving behind the window. "And I can't remain here," he adds, and for a second, there's silence.

"Might be too nosy for a stranger, but did something bad happen? Are you running from someone?" Isabel whispers, and it seems to catch Levi's attention too, who now looks at Eren. His eyes are the most mysterious grey Eren has seen, with speckles of the blue like a cloudy sky on a winter's day, giving the same cold but refreshing feeling.

"Oh, no! Not at all," Eren quickly defuses the suddenly tense situation. "I just feel like there is no point of me staying. There is no future in a small coastal town, so I want to try the capital!" he explains, and the tension eases up, Levi turning away and closing his eyes again.

"What did your family say?" Farlan joins in on the questioning.

"That's the thing that made me almost miss the train. I had to sneak around them so they wouldn't find out," there is a tint of sadness in Eren's voice. "It will be better without me around, though, so it will end up beneficial for both sides. With what I do..." he continues with a small smile but doesn't complete his thought, letting the sentence fade out in another short silence.

"Ah, so there is something that made you leave!" Farlan exclaims a bit too loudly, and Isabel elbows him in the side instantly.

"Well, we all travel a lot for... work," she smiles. "We are entrepreneurs of a sort. If there is a way to earn money, we will take it on," she explains, turning her voice down to a whisper and leaning closer to Eren. "You know, card games, bets, races, investments - that kind of stuff. So we get a lot of things," Isabel encourages, and there is a witty, all-knowing smirk on her face, mimicked on Farlan's. "I assume you got your ticket and 'new life' money yourself. What do you do?"

"Well, I guess I'm kind of an entrepreneur myself," Eren's lips curl up to form a smile, but one could not call it a smile at all. There isn't the same spark in his eyes as it would be with a true smile. "Only my business is right here," he vaguely gestures towards himself. "And my clients where ever I go," he adds, and there is a second of silence before Levi speaks up, now looking at Eren directly.

"How old are you?" he asks quite bluntly, staring the young man down.

"I'm 20!" Eren exclaims, but it doesn't convince Levi as he continues staring at him. "Fine. I'm 19. I can show you my passport if you don't believe me. I can do whatever I want with my body," he mumbles and crosses his arms on his chest, looking at the floor between the seats.

"No one says you can't," Levi replies matter of factly, "But do I dare to ask how long have you been running your 'business'?" he looks away from Eren and closes his eyes again. "Must be a while for the whole town to know and word to go around to the point you need to run."

"Oi, Levi," Farlan nudges the dark-haired man's leg with his. "That's real' harsh, you know."

"Am I wrong?" he opens his eyes again and turns to Eren once more, the young man looking out the window now, seemingly avoiding his three new travel mates.

"He's not wrong. It's only been 2 years, but he's not wrong," Eren admits. "I am not very proud of it, but I am not ashamed either," he looks back at the two pairs of eyes looking at him with Levi once more is back in his seemingly 'napping' state, leaning his head back against the seat.

"It's still rude," Isabel frowns. "Damn geezer," she utters. "We started at the bottom of the barrel too, so we are definitely not judging, right?" she glares at Levi, who is absolutely unphased.

"I never judged him, nor did I say he's 'bottom of the barrel,'" Levi points out. "I just met him and made an obviously correct observation from his story, which I didn't force him to tell. He can do whatever he wants." His words seemingly end this conversation, and they all fall silent for a moment. Only when no more homes are appearing behind the train's window, and it's all lush fields, and patches of the forest does small talk begin again, in which Levi takes no part in. Eren is pretty sure the man isn't sleeping, but he isn't interested in talking either.

The train rolls into the capital near midnight, the city dark and foggy, street lamps lit on every street to provide any sort of light. Even if it's summer, the nights still feel dreary and chilly, a shiver running through Eren as he steps on the platform. He has never been outside of his small town, so this all is a bit much to take in. The feeling of an absolute outsider washes over him as he stands on the platform, his backpack in his hands, and looks a the people rushing by. There are so many people; it makes his stomach turn and brings on the same feeling as being swallowed by the ocean waves. A tap on his shoulder wakes him up from this strange trance, and he turns around to see Farlan, Isabel, and Levi behind him, their suitcases in their hands.

"What's your plan from here?" he asks, and Eren is so lost for a second he can't stammer out a word. What is his plan? Has he even thought it through?

"I guess I will find an inn I can stay at for tonight and then go from there," he definitely sounds unsure, even scared a bit, as Farlan frowns and looks at his companions before turning back to Eren.

"You can come with us. We have reserved a small house for our stay here. There are two bedrooms, so plenty of space for one more person. Right?" he looks at the other two, and no one objects. Isabel nods while Levi doesn't say anything. Eren can't assume a thing about the man, but he can't argue with silence being his form of agreement, is his travel and business buddies don't question it.

They leave the bussy station together, and Farlan flags down a two-horse coup. Coups of various kinds and cars of different designs move next to the train station, and it is quite a sight, and Eren assumes he looks like a fool from the countryside, looking at everything with wide eyes and mouth gaping open. He is indeed in the capital, where he could start a new life from zero as no one knew him here. "Are you coming or not?" Levi's voice is what brings him back in, and he realizes everyone has gotten in the coup instead of him. As quickly as he can, he jumps in, taking the empty seat next to Levi, and stuffs his bag between his legs. 

The ride is a bit strange, the rough cobblestone streets making it bumpy, the sparse street lights and the settling fog giving it an eerie feeling. Only the horseshoes' sound echo around the further they get from the city center, less and less other people appearing on the streets. Smaller and bigger private homes with nicely kept gardens and metal fences are now appearing instead of cramped several floor apartment homes. It seems like a completely different world compared to the station, and even more so to the town, Eren is from. He tries not to get lost in his own thoughts as he has done it plenty of time already and truly take in the cityscape, even if it's dark.

"I think we are here," Farlan says as the coup slows down in front of one of the smallest homes in the neighborhood. It has two floors, a small porch at the front, which stands higher than ground level, and a few steps leading up to the main entrance. Four-pane windows in perfect symmetry on both sides of the door, a pair of two-pane windows on the top floor cramped between the up-pulled roof. Eren can't tell the house's color as it is dark, but he assumes it could be a shade of blue. The garden around it is rather small - a tree of a sort on the right, a flower bed on the left, and a bit of grass with a path from the gate to the doorsteps. The fence itself is wooden and very plain, not like the metal ones around. One would never pay attention to this house as it somehow disappeared between the others.

They all get out of the coup, and while Levi pays the coachman other three make their way to the door. "The key is supposed to be... aha! Found it!" Farlan looks around the door frame's top edge, finding a hidden key for the main door. With a loud click, he unlocks the door and is the first one to step in, turning on the light. The long-unused light bulb flickers in the glass lamp before revealing the house to its guests. Right before them is a small hallway with a mirror to the right and a wooden table under it. On the left of the mirror, what seems like a bathroom peeks through an open door, while on the right from the mirror is an open doorway to a living room area - all furniture covered with white sheets to prevent dust settling in. On the left of the door is what looks to be a dining room and next to it another door for the kitchen. A staircase faces the front door, leading to the second floor of the house.

"We are cleaning tomorrow, Levi," Isabel says in a sweet but also stern voice. And Eren wonders what's that about, but no one elaborates, so he doesn't ask. He will probably find out tomorrow anyway.

"Let's settle in for the night!" Farlan exclaims, and once more, he is the one to lead the way, this time upstairs. He has grabbed Isabel's suitcase and walks up the dusty stairs, small clouds of dust rising from each footstep, the steps of someone who walked there quite recently still visible clearly. "The rooming situation is pretty obvious," he stops between two doors as he reaches the top floor, which is rather small. "I'm with Isabel, and Levi is with Eren," he continues and turns to the right door, Isabel opening it for him. "I don't think there are any objections," he smirks before marching into the room.

"Whatever," Levi breathes out, annoyance written all over his face, and goes to the other door. He doesn't even bother with turning on the light, leaving it for Eren, and walks straight to the window opening it as widely as possible, leaving his suitcase by the end of the bed. "So damn dusty," he murmurs and looks at the pillow, sheet, and blanket set on top of one of the two single beds in the room. "Damn dusty," he repeats and grabs the said items before going to the window, sticking his hands out of it and shaking them furiously. 

Not knowing what else to do, Eren quietly follows his example by shaking his bedding and only then placing it on the bed. The atmosphere is undeniably awkward, and the man was definitely not counting on a sudden roommate, let alone a stranger. "I'm sorry if I'm a bother," he speaks as both of them have their backs turned to each other. "This was not in my plan."

"You didn't have a plan," Levi points out and pulls back a chair that stands next to a small nightstand at the end of his chosen bed and hangs his jacket on it. "Even if you know you would arrive in the city in the dead of night."

"Right..." Eren sighs and sits down on the edge of his bed. "Maybe it's fate then..." he murmurs and looks up at Levi. His gloved hands have stopped at the top button of his shirt as he looks back at Eren.

"No such thing," he responds dryly and proceeds to other buttons, revealing a well-built chest tightly clad by a white undershirt. As he hangs his shirt on the chair as well, it reveals such an odd but pleasant scene for Eren's eyes - the hands clad in black gloves, the well-fitting white singlet, the overall form of the shorter man before him with broad chest and shoulders, strong arms, muscles defined underneath the fabric. No wonder he could pull Eren onto a moving train. He can't complain about the view one bit.

"Then, luck, maybe?" Eren dares to smile at the man who has just taken off his boots and continues getting ready for bed, undoing the leather belt of his black slacks. His hands remain on the ends of the belt, giving another wonderful scene to feast one's eyes on.

"That's more possible," he is about to continue but stops and looks at Eren. "First of all, are you sleeping like that even after running after a train? And second - are you going to pay me for the staring or what?" his face is stone-cold, piercing bluish-grey eyes looking straight at Eren. Eren would be ready to pay even if he usually was in the role of the one getting paid.

"Neither!" Eren jumps to his feet, hoping his cheeks aren't too noticeably pink, and goes to undress, using the other chair in the room as his close hanger. While he fiddles with his belt, Levi has already crawled under the blanket; his back turned to the room. Now Eren notices that his gloves are set on the nightstand. He would like to ask about them, his curiosity trying to break through, but he has already been too much today. As he is done getting down to his underwear, he closes the window, turns off the light, and hurries to his bed. Instead of facing the wall, he decides to face Levi for a bit.

"I can pay for staying here. I am a nuisance after all," he speaks in half-whisper, hoping the man still hears him.

"It was a one-time payment. Forget about it," Levi rumbles back, and it's hard to tell he is annoyed or sleepy. Perhaps both.

"I don't think it's right. I stay here for free..." he starts, but Levi interrupts him.

"Isabel told you - we know where you are coming from and this situation very well. Accept your dumb luck," he almost scolds the younger man. "Just don't bring any clients or any other kind of scum here... and keep your things orderly and clean," he moves a little but doesn't turn to Eren.

"I will find a way to pay back. But for now, I will take it. Goodnight," he continues staring at the dark head of hair, and as if feeling the stare, Levi responds.

"Yeah. Goodnight," he grumbles, and upon hearing that Eren can turn around and try to sleep with a smile after the most eventful day of his life. Perhaps, he is indeed lucky.

\---

An odd ritual settles in every other night, and Levi doesn't know where it sits with him - part of it familiar and another part brand new.

Around 5 PM, he puts on one of his good shirts and pants, still opting for the same black jacket as always and a finer pair of gloves. He wears no jewelry, no accessories, and carries all cash he has for the night in two pockets, ordered according to the nominal from smaller to biggest. One pocket is meant for drinks - four glasses of gin, that's all he ever gets; the other set for card games. He always has the exact same amount - no more, no less -but he usually returns home with twice as much or more. An old silver cigarette case sits in the breast pocket of his jacket along with a box of matches from whichever bar he is frequenting now, the cigarettes only of the best type without a nasty smell or aftertaste and with less tar in them. He isn't about drinking or smoking garbage. He targets the middle class's bars, where those who have some spare money try their luck at card tables over a few drinks - usually a friendly bunch who rant about their jobs and wife and the government. There is a knife strapped to the back of his belt, hidden by his jacket just for safety. But he comes home before midnight, right before fights start, and people are too drunk to think coherently. That's his approach.

Farlan and Isabel are on the other side of the spectrum. The first thing Isabel does in a new town is filling her wardrobe with extravagant dresses, matching the collection of jewelry - most of it gifted by admirers - she has with her. She styles her hair by the lastest fashion; her lips colored deep poison red while her eyelids shine and draw an unsuspecting fool into the depths of her eyes like a fairy filled forest. Her handbag might hide a knife or a gun - whichever she feels like taking - under her 'spending' money, but no one has to know that. Her heels always pleasantly click on the wooden floor of their house as she makes her way to the door, Farlan by her side. The young man always dresses to match his partner. Nice suit sets with vests and ties, and expensive chain for a pocket watch hanging from his pocket, polished shoes, and a trendy coat. His jacket might hide a holster with a gun, his fists strong enough to take anyone on without it, but that also no one needs to know. They take on the high-end gatherings and gentlemen's clubs, horse races on the weekends, underground boxing fights, and investing into businesses - everywhere where the top of the city gathers to spend money by gambling. They either return before midnight or before sunrise, merely singing and laughing.

Somewhere in the shadowy middle between the two is Eren. He gets ready around the same time as they do - right next to Levi. He has his "work" sets of things that fit him nicely - a couple of well-fitted shirts and pants from which he picks and chooses. Regardless of the weather, his shirt's three top buttons are openly showing his collarbones and a bit of his chest. He has a deep brown summer coat that hangs on his tall figure well, which he wears with it. His ponytail is always immaculate before he leaves, just a few of those needed and intentional strands framing his face. A bottle of nice, expensive perfume of jasmine scent is one of his prized possessions, which he uses sparingly, but it's enough to notice. A lip gloss is another item he uses, just a bit on the middle of his lips, making them fuller. He looks absolutely stunning and inviting every time without doing much, and it is a bit odd for Levi to see how seriously he takes his job, and perhaps he finds him too beautiful for it. When Eren returns - mostly after midnight and closer to 1 or 2 AM hours, his perfect hairstyle is gone, the perfume's scent overpowered by inexpensive alcohol and cigarettes and other aromas. He's tired, sometimes aching, and mostly falls in bed till late morning hours. All that preparation has gone to waste.

Levi does not judge Eren. Not one bit. He himself and his friends in affairs are just a trio of gamblers and swindlers at the end of the day. They move from town to town when they no longer can earn enough and leach from the people living there. He understands Eren's motifs, but sometimes, when he returns to the room completely spent and obviously in pain, he wants to tell him to stop. But what could he offer in return? Why was he thinking of what could _he_ from all people return? Who is to Eren to even suggest anything?

\----

It isn't much later than 10 pm, the sun slowly sinking down behind the factory chimneys, the chilly air of the summer night flowing into the garden and swirling around the house they call home for now. The pulsating pain in Levi's hands had made itself known again early in the morning, so for a change, he hasn't gone anywhere today. He doesn't, at large, believe in any pills or injections; his pain relief method of a hearty drink maybe a bit too damaging, but he doesn't need it often. This particular evening he has sat down on the staircase in front of the house with a bottle of his favorite gin and his cigarette case. The pain has largely gone away since morning, but it still rests in his fingertips, so he tries to catch a moment of calm in the quiet neighborhood.

"Hey," a now very familiar voice speaks, and Levi looks up from the pathway he has been focusing on for a minute, a cigarette slowly crumbling between his fingers, thousands of memories swirling around his head - the biggest side effect to his personal painkillers. As he looks up, he sees Eren coming through the gate at an unusually early hour for him. He looks as beautiful as always, and Levi lets out a long breath before the young man comes closer. "You didn't go today?" Eren asks and, instead of going inside, sits down on the stairs one step below Levi.

"No. Didn't feel like it," Levi takes the final puff from the cigarette in his hand and puts the remains of it out in the ashtray. "What about you?"

"I had a doctor's appointment," Eren replies quite casually, and only when Levi's eyes grow big does he understand he needs to explain. "Oh no! Don't worry! I'm perfectly fine! As clean as one can be! I swear!" he waves his hands in front of him. "I just decided that I can afford to get checked regularly, just to be safe, ya know," he smiles, and his eyes turn to something in the distance for a bit. "To keep the business running, like when you take a car to get checked out for it to run smoothly," he adds and looks back at Levi. His smile is so sad Levi would be ready to pay to see the same spark he when they first met on the train. Or perhaps it's the 1/3 of the gin bottle thinking that.

"You are not a car, tho," the older man points out and takes another cigarette from his case and places it between his lips.

"Can I have one?" Eren doesn't reply to the remark and asks out of the blue, and Levi turns the case towards him. He observes perhaps a bit too closely how the nicotine stick settles between Eren's lips, to the point he lights his own and forgets to do the same with his companions.

"Ah, shit. That was the last one," Levi hisses as he throws the burnt-out match into the ashtray.

"I'll go inside and get some," Eren is about to jump to his feet, but Levi stops him by butting his hand on his shoulder.

"Sit still," he instructs and moves the same hand to the side of Eren's neck, his gloved fingertips resting at Eren's hairline, his thumb next to his hear as he pulls the man up and closer until their cigarettes touch. It's an oddly synchronized movement as both of them raise their hands to their lips to hold the white nicotine sticks in place as the little red flickers make their way from Levi's cigarette to Eren's. It's just a couple of seconds, just a short moment, but it feels like an eternity until Levi lets go of Eren and pulls back. They both let a puff of smoke into the summer twilight, and for a moment, it just a pleasant silence - if not the crickets in the flower bed and the distant sound of horseshoes against the cobblestone.

"Have you ever thought about quitting your business?" Levi asks and turns to Eren, who lets another long, satisfying puff of smoke out from his lips. The setting sun hides its last rays in his hair and reflects in his eyes, so reminiscent of the seaside he is from. He is truly a beautiful, stunning young man, but somehow he is already stuck in the dirt end of this madly unfair world.

"Is there anything else I can do? I didn't really go to school because I helped my family's shop. To rot in a factory? I'd rather die than do that," he lets out a laugh and takes the bottle of gin that has been next to Levi the entire time, taking a massive swig from it.

"So you'll do this your entire life? Do you even enjoy it?" Levi takes the bottle from Eren's hand and takes two gulps of the clear liquid as well, following it by a deep inhale from his cigarette.

"Sometimes, it does feel good; I can't lie about that. Regardless if it's a man or a woman," Eren lets out another smoke cloud and takes the bottle again, taking a sip before continuing. "But I know I can't do it forever. I don't want to do it forever," his voice goes quieter, and he stares at the pathway before them. "But the question is back - what else can I do?" he asks and hands the bottle to Levi, his gloved hand resting on Eren's for a second before it's pulled back along with the bottle.

"I can't give you any advice. I'm stuck on a permanent grey line between legal and illegal, just like Farlan and Isabel. No advice-giver here," Levi sighs. "I can't even give advice to those two, and I've known them for a decade..." he shakes his head before downing a good 1/3 of what was still in the bottle.

"I guess we all are still stuck in the grey zone for now then," Eren laughs a little, inhaling the last of the cigarette before putting it out. "Yet I am the only leach here. Still," he shakes his head and takes the bottle one more time, matching his intake to the one Levi just did.

"I told you it's nothing to worry about," Levi tries to formulate a thought, but before he can, his eyes catch Eren standing up. He is unsure what the younger man will do but what he doesn't expect is to step over Levi with one leg and sit down, straddling Levi's lap. And he doesn't stop him. He doesn't stop him one bit; instead, his hands steady Eren by the hips allowing him to settle on top of Levi. "Oi..." he tries to speak up, but Eren's long fingers brush through his hair, his eyes sultry and mesmerizing, drowning Levi as the endless depths of ocean would - his face dangerously close to Levi's. It causes a reaction Levi can and can't explain, his heart rushing in his chest, his breathing getting caught in his lungs, but he doesn't fight back. He feels almost powerless, and it's a new sensation for him.

Carefully, Eren closes the distance between their faces and presses his lips on Levi's. The kiss takes off slowly - like a train leaving a station - and from a soft touching of lips, it grows into a passionate dance of tongues in no time. Eren tastes a lot like gin and cigarettes, and Levi knows so does he, and on the one hand, he knows it's not entirely what he has imagined, but he doesn't mind it either - he might even like it. There is no lack of confidence in how Eren presses against Levi, how his hands now hold onto Levi's shoulders - he is radiating almost scary confidence. For now, Levi just holds onto Eren's hips and enjoys the experience Eren offers, but he is glad he is still responsive enough to hear Eren's words, which break the fragile dance they have fallen into.

"I do have one way to pay," he whispers, and that very moment Levi stops everything. He gently pushes Eren away from his body, the teal eyes looking at him in shock.

"No," Levi shakes his head, and Eren just stares at him for a second unable to speak.

"Why? Because of what I do? Am I dirty to you or something?" he asks, genuine hurt in his voice, perhaps the gin adding to it a bit,

"Absolutely not. You know that's not what I think or would ever think..." Levi shakes his head. He needs to gather more strength to push Eren out of his lap as now it has been quite difficult to stop. When has been the last time he felt this weak?

"Then why?" the younger man sounds genuinely confused, and even with the utterly lost look on his face, Levi pushes him off his lap and guides him to stand on the stairs before getting up himself properly.

"I don't want anything as a payment, nor do I want it as a client," he says and uses the chance that the stairs make him around Eren's height to gently place his hand on his neck before bringing him closer and pressing a quick kiss on his forehead. "Sorry," he murmurs and turns around, grabbing the near-empty bottle gin on his way and emptying it as he walks to the door.

Only when Levi can no longer be seen from Eren's point of view does he snap out. "Wait... how do you want it then..." he whispers, and he can't believe himself as his eyes fog up. "Dumbass," he murmurs and rubs his eyes with the base of his palms. "Absolute dumbass," he repeats, not knowing if he is talking about himself or Levi. It takes a moment for him to fully calm down before he walks inside. He washes his face in the bathroom before making his way to the room, bracing himself to see the older man. But as he doesn't see Levi there, Eren concludes - he is the dumbass himself. Why did he have to say that? Will there be a chance for him to fix this now?

\---

"Oh! Eren!" Isabel cheers as she steps out of the car, Farlan by her side. "What are you doing here?" she asks as both of them walk closer to their now friend, who is standing a bit aside from the entry of a rather fancy gentleman's club. "Here for the party?" she continues as she looks the simply dressed but stunning young man up and down. "Not really the dress code for that."

"Not really. I was asked to wait for a bit until a client does some business and comes out again," he explains, but there is absolutely no enthusiasm in his voice. He knows he has lost even the last bits of what he could call enthusiasm after that evening with Levi. He never thought this business of his could feel this much like just a job, but here he is - wishing the fancy-dressed guy who rushed into great his card palls wouldn't come out. He didn't pay Eren yet anyway, so it didn't matter if he didn't show up. He could just stay inside, and Eren could go home.

"I see! Well, I am not sure if he will get out so fast. It's quite an event today, perfect for our last one here. We wanted to take Levi along and you too, but his hands were hurting again, and you were already gone, so..." Isabel speaks so fast Eren barely catches what she is saying, but what he hears still doesn't register completely.

"Last one? Levi's hands hurting? What?" he is utterly confused, and the couple before him grows as confused for a second before their hands shift to concern and sadness.

"Let's step aside for a moment," Farlan says and guides all three of them into an alley next to the clubhouse away from curious eyes and ears. They stand in the barely lit space that heavily smells like mold and wet soil for a moment before Farlan speaks again. "How do we start..."

"From the beginning," Eren tries to keep calm, but his heart is racing in his chest, and he can see barely stand still.

"We have been here for three months now, nearing four, and even if this is the capital, we can't stay for much longer," Farlan begins explaining. "The plan is to visit some further cities for short periods of time and then return back here but to a different neighborhood," he takes a deep breath, and Eren feels how the real hit is coming. "We have bought train tickets in 3 days from now. There is one for you as well..." his words give Eren momentary comfort before he tears it down again. "... but to a different destination," he adds, and Eren's heart sinks in his chest as he doesn't understand what's going on.

"As for Levi's hands..." Isabel takes over. "We thought you knew; you've been rooming together all this time," there is an obvious lump in her throat as she speaks. "When we said we started from the very bottom, we truly did. We had nothing more but our names and lives and each other. We were beggars and thieves in a city so small, so rural, so dirty and stuck in the past I can't even bring myself to say its name," she speaks with passion, yet the passion is rooted in hatred. "There, they punished all crimes like it was ruled centuries ago - no matter the size of the crime. And many times, being older, Levi took the punishment for us, until we had enough money to leave, but it was too late already..." Isabel chokes up and turns her face to the sky to keep the tears back. 

Eren has seen scars all over Levi's body, especially his back, but he never thought how they got there. And he had truly never seen his hands as they were always covered with gloves or a blanket when he was sleeping. "You can ask him yourself, I think," Farlan interrupts Eren's train of thoughts. "I think it would better if you do; after all, you mean so much to him," as the final words leave Farlan's lips, Eren can feel his eyes growing wide. "Just talk to him," Farlan emphasizes and pats Eren's shoulder a couple of times before leaving together with Isabel.

Eren saunters back to the street a moment later, his client already waiting. "Eren, I thought you went away," the sweet voice of the tall, freckled man brings him to reality for a moment. "Are you alright?" he asks, his soft hand settling on Eren's cheek.

"I'm sorry, Marco. I don't feel well," Eren replies and gently takes Marco's hand off his face. He is a nice, wonderful guy who just lacks a bit of confidence. He is one of the few regulars Eren has acquired, and he truly felt nothing but the best emotions towards the guy. But his head is too full of thoughts, full of questions to give Marco what he deserves or what he pays for.

"That's alright. Would you like to go home?" the tall man asks, and Eren nods. He smiles softly and flags down a cab that just let out some guests next to the clubhouse. "I hope you feel better soon," he guides Eren to the cab and, as Eren is about to get on, presses an envelope in his hand.

"Wait, Marco, you don't have to," Eren tries to hand it back, but Marco shakes his head. "Cab fee," he smiles. He is truly too nice, too gentle, and Eren wishes he would find someone who would be with him because of love and not money. And then, like lightning from a clear sky, an epiphany for the conversation now weeks ago hits him.

"Thank you, Marco," he smiles leans out of the cab to press a quick kiss on Marco's cheek. "Go get yourself someone pretty at that party," he waves at the sweetly smiling man and sinks back into the seat. It took him this long to understand what Levi meant. He truly is the dumbass. He presses his hands against his face and lets out a silent scream. He knows he isn't very bright, but he never thought he could be this ridiculous about obvious things, especially because it wasn't the need to pay or to get paid, nor were the few mouthfuls of gin the reason he climbed into Levi's lap. He lets out another frustrated yell before finally telling the cabby the address and promising to pay extra if he hurries.

\---

"Levi!" Eren rushes into their shared room, completely out of breath. He feared the man wouldn't be there, but as his eyes settle on the raven-haired man sitting on the edge of the bed, seemingly wanting to go somewhere as he is about to put his boots on, Eren breathes out in relief. He walks the short distance to the bed in a couple of big steps and sits down next to Levi without saying a word. The older man is obviously taken aback by heavily breathing Eren and his actions, but his confusion only grows as Eren grabs his hands.

"Tell me. Everything," he says so seriously, his hypnotizing eyes drilling holes into Levi. He has never seen Eren so serious about anything, and it is odd, to say the least.

"What exactly?" Levi asks but doesn't attempt to pull his hands away. From Eren, he didn't mind the touch.

"Everything. About how you started out with Farlan and Isabel, about how you ended up here, about the train ticket - everything," Eren squeezes his hands harder, and finally, he notices something odd. Parts of Levi's hands do not feel real. As his eyes travel down to look at their hands, Levi exhales slowly and pulls his hands away, Eren's eyes following his actions. One after another, he pulls off the black gloves, and Eren feels his jaw opening slightly.

Levi's right hand has two of its fingers missing - the ring finger and the pinky, while this left one has only his ring finger missing. They are all replaced with a wooden prosthetic, held in place with leather straps around Levi's palm, metal buckles leaving imprints on his skin. They look like the fingers of a mannequin, and they do not move all; the prosthetic is meant just for looks. Levi doesn't stop at the gloves and proceeds to open the prosthetics' straps, the wooden contraptions falling on the floor with an awfully loud sound. "This is the outcome for thieves," Levi states, his own eyes looking at his hands.

"First offenses, as well as small ones, were flogging—a piece of cake. But a large offense, like robbing a store, required a larger punishment. I didn't give out my accomplices and took the punishment for all of us," he explains, and Eren slowly, gently takes Levi's hands in his again. "One finger for each of the thieves. The police chief of the town took mercy and at least allowed me to choose," Levi let out a huff. "Kind of cruel, to be honest."

"And they still hurt?" Eren asks, his thumbs just barely running over the palm under where the missing fingers should be. And he didn't notice. He honestly couldn't even imagine this being the reason Levi wore gloves, but he wishes he would have known sooner, even if he can't do a thing about it.

"Even after 10 years, they do. They were no surgeons. Just chopping and calling it a day, so they probably damaged the nerves and those wooden things press on them too," Levi explains, and he has to admit it's quite mesmerizing and calming how Eren's fingers trace over his hands.

"Why did you take the punishment for everyone?"

"They were just 16 then. I was 20, and even though I had more experience, we still got caught. I took the responsibility as, after all, I got them into it. Honestly, even now, I wouldn't change any of my choices. Who knows what would have happened two the two dumpster kids otherwise. This was for the best," this is the first time Eren sees a truly genuine smile on Levi's face. It's a new expression, but it suits him as it makes him look just a bit less tired.

"So you care about them?" the answer is obvious, but Eren still asks.

"Of course."

"What about me, then? Do you care about me?"

Levi remains quiet for a moment before he responds. "Yes. I do."

"Then why the different train ticket? Why wouldn't you tell me about going somewhere in general?" Eren tries to remain calm, even if he knows he is failing this task, his voice giving out his emotions.

"The ticket is for your hometown," Levi finally looks at Eren's face, and the latter wishes he wouldn't have because he can see how sincere Levi is. "Because you shouldn't stay here, nor should you go anywhere with us. You have saved up enough to go home and find a tutor, learn a new profession, start from the beginning. You don't have to stay in this gray line. You are not stuck like us," Levi sounds so convincing, and so right Eren can't argue back. For a second, Eren is ready to agree with every word, but he shakes his head, knowing it's not what he wants.

"I don't want to. I don't want any of that," Eren continues shaking his head, and Levi manages to free one of his hands from Eren's grasp. Gently, he places it on top of Eren's head, petting it slowly.

"Let me be selfish for once in my entire life," Levi whispers, and it is so odd to hear his deep voice talking so quietly, so close to Eren. "Let me be selfish and make sure you don't get hurt in any way."

"How is that selfish?" Eren lets out a chuckle and focuses on Levi, his usually cold eyes suddenly so warm, and kind Eren can physically feel his chest tightening.

"Because it would make me happy," Levi smiles again. "You being safe and not stuck in this grey limbo would make me happy."

Eren doesn't say anything else and instead moves forward, pressing his lips against Levi's. It is a natural, seemingly already rehearsed movement as he climbs into Levi's lap, his finger tangling into surprisingly soft black hair. He presses his body against Levi's as much as he can, the way Levi pulls him closer by the waist only reassuring him. He knows he needs to keep his words to himself, no witty phrases that could ruin this moment like it did last time. He, honestly, doesn't even have time to think of speaking this time. He is completely swallowed up by the kisses that started on his lips but now have made their way over his jaw and down his neck. Levi's are lips leaving the most present yet most fluttering kisses on his neck and collarbones, the bit of chest that's exposed, and it's tearing Eren to pieces in the best meaning. It's a different kind of gentleness from any other he has ever experienced.

"I love this perfume," Levi murmurs as his nose rubs against the spot behind Eren's ear where a dab of the perfume has been placed. "I must admit I have never smelled it before. Not like this," he half whispers, his lips so close to Eren's ear each sound sends a pleasant vibration through his entire body. "So it will always associate just with you," he continues, his hands successfully getting Eren's shirt out of his pants, the heat of his skin meeting Eren's, and the latter can't control how he reacts. He shivers and exhales, pushing himself both more into Levi's arms and closer to the man at the same time. He could usually remain so calm, act so well when touched, but this feels so different he can't help it.

Eren's fingers even tremble slightly as he fidgets with the buttons of his shirt, struggling to get out of the piece of cloth now trapping him. He exhales in relief when it's gone - when Levi's hands can freely move over his back, his lips lazily place softest kisses on Eren's chest. Something inside his chest keeps fluttering each time Levi's lips touch his skin, and it feels like he will burst at the seams from the bubbling feeling inside of him.

"So beautiful," Levi murmurs against Eren's chest before looking up at the heavily breathing man. "From the moment you were running after the train till now - beautiful," with each word from Levi, Eren feels his chest buzzing more and more.

"You usually don't talk so much, nor are you this sweet," he tries to joke as his hands shake from excitement, calming down only as he places them on Levi's cheeks.

"I'm just being selfish and happy for once," the older man admits, and his lips are instantly captured in an eager kiss, pushing him down on the bed. Eren no longer pays any mind to a single thing around him but Levi. He doesn't care that he left the bedroom door open, and the other two could come back at any moment. He does not care about the chilly breeze of early September coming from the cracked open window. He's lost in the way Levi's lips press against his skin, how each scar on Levi's back feels under his fingertips, how the rough skin of Levi's hands touches him so tenderly, how even Levi's calm breathing is speeding up more and more with each passing minute. 

Each movement has its own odd rhythm as they silently but mutually decide on moving even further, becoming even closer. Eren trips over his own pants as he tries to take them off and rips out at least one button from Levi's shirt, but neither stops them. Heated hands memorize each crevice, each bump, each scar, and it strangely feels like the first and last time they can be together like this. The realization seemingly hits both of them as they slow down, savoring each moment more and more. It's a frightening, sad thought Eren doesn't even want to consider, and he pushes it to the very back of his mind, letting it sink somewhere while he himself is swallowed up by Levi's presence.

As Eren's back hits the mattress, he is truly thankful the light is on in the room, as Levi is truly a sight to behold - from how Eren has messed up his usually perfectly laid hair, his eyes are focused but so warm Eren can feel them on his skin. His lips are kiss-swollen, his wide chest moving in rhythmic, deep breaths, his thick, fully hard cock a mouthwatering sight between the muscular thighs. A feast for Eren's eyes. He feels his skin flushing as Levi looks him up and down from his now freely falling hair to his twitching length, but he can swear, from the way Levi looks at him alone, he has never been wanted like this by anyone.

Eren smiles, his cheeks burning and probably bright pink as he looks up at Levi, who has now settled between his legs, his hands drawing seemingly mindless circles on Eren's thighs while his eyes completely ravish the man, making Eren ridiculously excited. Eren chuckles, not being able to give any other proper response. "What's so funny?" Levi asks, and Eren can just let out another giggle.

"Would you believe if I'd say I've never been happier?" he asks and sits up. The same excited, almost naive sparkle is back in Eren's eyes like the day Levi pulled him onto that train. "So, I would like to be selfish, if that's okay?" he stares at Levi for seemingly forever before the older man sighs.

"Sure," he shakes his head, more to gain back the focus he lost in the ocean hidden in Eren's eyes, but the agreement is all Eren needs.

"I need you to lay down then," Eren probably sounds a bit too cheerful, a bit too excited but Levi obliges and switches places with the younger man. He places his arms under his head and looks straight at the Eren, whose eyes don't know where to stop and look, like a starving man in a buffet. However, he doesn't waste time and kneels between Levi's legs, his long slim fingers wrapping around the dick before him, lifting it more away from Levi's body, stroking it slowly. He pushes his hair out of his face and more to one side, licks his lips, and locks eyes with Levi, and wraps his mouth around the head, making the lewdest sound imaginable.

A pleased shiver goes through both of them. "I see," Levi murmurs, almost sounding like a pleased, purring cat, and Eren continues his plan. His lips and tongue pay special attention to the sensitive tip - swirling and sucking - before he gets more of the shaft in his mouth. He moves his head as low as he can, the tip hitting the back of his throat, his nose almost touching the pubic hair, before pulling away and returning to working on the top part while his hand keeps stroking the main length. As he moves his head down again, Levi's hand suddenly settling in his hair, and he looks up at the two winter blue eyes looking at him, the pleased expression on Levi's face priceless. 

With yet another set of lewd noises, Eren coats Levi's length with saliva, bobbing his head up and down until it's glistening wet. He almost feels out of breath, his mouth feeling dry, but he knows a way better way to bring this special evening to a grand closure. With his legs shaking a bit, he crawls on top of Levi, the man looking at him with a bit of confusion. Eren isn't about to explain a thing as he is too excited to do so, and he doesn't care. He kneels right above Levi's dick and lifts it up, positioning it right against his hole. "Oi, oi, Eren," Levi panics for a second, his concern understandable but unneeded.

"Trust the professional," Eren smirks, and before Levi can respond, he slowly, gradually lowers himself on the wet length, shivering and panting as he feels himself being stretched open. He prepared himself for work a couple of hours ago, so the sensation now is right between enough and too much, a sensation that makes Eren feel alive, and he doesn't even wait for a single protest to come from Levi before he has the length fully inside of him. He does feel like a wanton demon from an old tale- whining and shivering as he gently rocks his hips, feeling Levi moving inside of him. He exhales and lets his pleasure glazed eyes turn the focus on Levi. The man is half sitting up, resting back on his elbows, eyes focused on his own crotch where Eren has now settled, his breathing heavier than ever before. The expression on his face is magnificent - almost feral - and Eren can't deny he feels proud it's because of him.

"You said I could be selfish," Eren breathes out, drawing Levi's lust oozing gaze towards him. He runs his hand over his chest and stomach, down to his own trembling length, grabbing on it with a moan. As the man keeps observing, Eren's body heat rising just from that look, he lifts his body up, moving it down right after - repeating the action, again and again, only picking up speed until he is bouncing up and down Levi's lap. It feels different; it shouldn't feel so much different from any other time, but it does, and the feeling once more is raging in Eren's chest. He can't keep his voice down, it searching for a way to harmonize with the low grunts coming from Levi. He feels Levi's hands on his thighs so tightly he actually hopes they will leave a mark, a temporary remembrance of this moment engraved in Eren's skin. His own hands grabbing onto Levi's shoulders as he has almost collapses forward at one point. The selfish nature of this taking over as he wishes he could move faster and deeper, feel more of Levi no matter how silly it might sound.

"Le...vi," he hiccups, hovering above the man's face, desperately moving his hips, feeling how everything inside of him gets stirred up in more than just a physical way. "More," he breathes out, sweat almost dripping from his nose and chin despite the open window. He has never begged for more, he has never needed more as it hasn't been about him, but now he wants to feel everything. "Please," he begs even though he shouldn't.

Levi's left-hand goes to the back of Eren's head, grabbing a handful of the brown locks with enough strength to be present but not nearly enough to hurt Eren. He brings their mouths together, and a deep, mutual moan vibrates in their throats as they kiss for the nth time tonight. It's less of a sweet kiss - more lip pulling, more restless tongues and saliva, more needy moans and groans - but it's perfect for the moment. "Get off," Levi instructs simply against Eren's lips, his voice so raspy and with his body trembling for the same mystical more, Eren flops to the side. There is the same need mirroring in Levi as he takes the lead in his hands. They both are so close to their limit; he doesn't even bother or rather can't move much more about how messy or borderline rough it can be. He tugs Eren closer, his ankles ending on Levi's shoulder as he slides back into the slick, pulsating hole, pushing forward to the point Eren is nearly bent in half, but the latter is above ecstatic and can't care less. It takes a second and a few deep breathes before he as if unleashes the last bit of energy he still has, he gains the second momentum, and the air fills with the obscene sound of skin meeting skin. More broken moans and whines echo around the room, gasp for air and incoherent mumbling that can probably be heard on the street, adding to the hot and heavy ambiance of the moment.

Neither of them tracks time, which takes for everything around them and them themselves to go perfectly still and completely blurry at the same time. As if a wave of both hot and cold crashes over them, freezing time itself and giving them time to catch a breath. The silence is interrupted only by their heavy breathing and bodies rustling through the blanket to somehow settle down. There are no appropriate, non-cliche words to say; their voices lost somewhere in this September night, so instead, they let their lips talk in a kiss - a slow and deep one - as their hearts calm down.

Eren curls his body up as close to Levi as he can and when Levi lifts his arm to invite him in and embrace another fluttering feeling rushes through his chest. Despite being taller, he sets his head on Levi's chest, his heartbeat instantly invading his ears just like he fell on top of Levi when they first met. He wraps his arm around Levi's waist, possibly clinging on far too much but the way Levi's fingers thread through his hair signals that it is perfectly fine. For now, this is perfectly fine and Eren doesn't want to think about any kind of future anymore.

\---

"This will be for the best," Levi tries to assure Eren as they have taken a step away from the main platform and curious eyes of passer-bys. His once more gloved hand is gently resting on Eren's nape, their foreheads touching as he speaks. "Please," a plea is the last thing Eren expects but he just nods slowly. "I will stop by one day. That I can promise," Levi says with such weight in his voice Eren has trouble believing him or the very fact he really wants this, but he nods again. "Alright," he nods just slightly himself and pulls away. "It will all be alright."

They walk back to the platform where Farlan and Isabel are already waiting, suitcases in hand. Their train is waiting behind them while Eren's will pull in right after this one leaves and take him in the completely opposite direction. Why has he agreed to this he doesn't know, the only excuse being that it would make Levi happy, right? Eren fiddles with the shoulder strap of the bag he has with him - his documents and valuables on him - while his backpack, now down a size, sits on the platform floor.

"You'll do just fine," Isabel and Farlan hug him at the same time, as tightly as possible. Eren had fallen for them too. He isn't very friend-rich, and the two were just the ray of brightness he needed. But they are leaving too. As they let go the train whistles loudly, it being the final signal for passengers to come on board. "We'll come to visit," she adds with a sad smile on her face and is the one to lead the way to the last cart of the train.

"Take the train, Eren. Alright?" Levi emphasizes one last time, and Eren nods again. He catches just a glimpse of Levi's expression, but just for a second, it looks so sad, so pained - as if he is losing everything he has - Eren's chest begins to ache. He follows with this eyes how the man boards the train and soon after another loud whistle fills the air and the train slowly begins to move. It's slow, steam moving through the parts gradually, and Eren almost wishes it would move faster. What he doesn't expect is the door of the back cart to open and Levi to step on the railing protected space. Right, that's how they met.

"What am I doing..." Eren whispers, and the backpack he had picked up falls back on the floor. "What is he doing..." he murmurs and doesn't resist when his body takes him to the edge of the platform, nor does he stop himself from jumping on the tracks. What are both of them doing?

"Oi! Eren! What are you doing? Get back!" Levi yells, grabbing onto the railings with both hands as he sees Eren jumping off the platform. "Eren, go back!"

"No!" Eren yells from the top of his lungs as he begins running after the train, sprinting over the railway tracks. "You are not being selfish and you won't be happy you big dumbass!" he yells and picks up speed. "You will be miserable and so will I!" his voice breaks, but he continues yelling. "So I am choosing actually happiness for you and me!" he is out of breath, but he doesn't back down and gives his all to chase after a leaving train again. As if the same moment is being replayed in his head, Levi gives in or more like he can't control his actions, the pain in his chest leading him.

He unhooks the chain and secures his boots against the railings. With his left hand, he grabs onto the railings while leaning forward and reaching his right one out. "Faster, you absolute idiot!" he yells out as the train picks speed far too quickly, it seems. His heart almost stops as Eren stumbles a little but he regains the momentum with a loud yell and once more leaps forward, taking hold of Levi's hand at the very last second. No way in hell will Levi let him fall now; no way will he let him go again. With all his strength he pulls the taller man onto the platform, both of them falling backward and Eren once again landing on Levi's chest. But this time, they don't rush to move.

"You're crazy," Levi breathes out as he sets his hand on top of Eren's head. The scent of jasmine wraps around him, and he knows he doesn't want to lose this feeling of Eren so close to him.

"Maybe. But I rather am crazy and make us both happy than not," he chuckles before pushing up from the man on the floor, hovering above him just like before, only this time Levi's hand rests on his nape.

"Ridiculous," Levi sighs, his hand moving to Eren's cheek before gently guiding him down for a kiss. 

**Author's Note:**

> \-----------------------------------  
> \- [My Twitter](https://twitter.com/BeanSensei)  
>  \- **Other Ereri:** [Resurrected](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14013252) (AU, 50k words, chapters) || [A Different World](https://archiveofourown.org/series/734805) (series, 3 one-shots, 15k words)


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